The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Prof. Tunji Olaopa, has called for stronger collaboration between federal and state civil service commissions to build a professional, efficient and future-ready public service capable of driving national development.
Olaopa made the call while speaking at the 45th National Council and Annual Conference of Civil Service Commissions of the Federation in Asaba, Delta State, according to a statement issued on Thursday by the Head of Press and Public Relations, Ibraheem Zakariyya.
He described the annual gathering as an increasingly important platform for institutional renewal, peer learning, knowledge exchange and collective action towards strengthening public service administration in the country.
The FCSC chairman said stronger technical collaboration between the federal and state commissions was necessary, particularly in developing competency-based human resource management practices and standardised guidelines for appointment, promotion and discipline.
He noted that the success of national development initiatives, including the ambition to build a $1 trillion economy by 2030, would depend significantly on the capacity of subnational governments and their public institutions to deliver results.
Olaopa, who highlighted some of the achievements of the 10th FCSC, identified the introduction of online recruitment and Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for the first time in about four decades as a major institutional milestone.
He also cited the introduction of online accreditation and CBT for promotion exercises as measures that had strengthened merit-based selection, reduced opportunities for undue influence and improved public confidence in the Commission’s human resource management processes.
According to him, the Commission had also strengthened its strategic communication, stakeholder engagement and internal controls to address corruption and compromise in recruitment, promotion and career management.
Looking ahead, he advocated the integration of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies into public administration, alongside research, training and knowledge-sharing initiatives, to prepare the civil service for the demands of the Fourth and Fifth Industrial Revolutions.
He further identified the revival of the National Association of Public Administration and Management (NAPAM), stronger institutional partnerships with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and a comprehensive reorientation of public service values as priorities for building a more professional workforce.
Olaopa reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to implementing its 2026-2030 Strategic Plan, which is anchored on institutional repositioning, digital transformation, professionalisation and evidence-based administrative practices.
In his remarks, the Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, described the civil service as the backbone of government, stressing that it translates policies into action and sustains public service delivery.
Oborevwori, who spoke through his deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, at the opening of the conference, said the effectiveness of the civil service depended on strong institutions, competent personnel and a culture of professionalism, integrity and accountability.
He described the conference theme, ‘Towards a Future-Ready Civil Service’, as timely, noting that the public service must adapt to the changing governance landscape, particularly as technology and artificial intelligence reshape public administration.
The governor said his administration was investing in capacity building, digital transformation and workers’ welfare through its MORE Agenda to strengthen the state’s public service.
He urged participants to use the conference as an opportunity for meaningful deliberations and practical recommendations that would advance civil service administration across the country.